Jones Poultry opening new plant in Hannibal; hosting recruiting event on April 1

HANNIBAL, Mo. — A new and colorful sign now sits in front of what was once the Buckhorn Rubber facility in Hannibal’s Industrial Loop.

Jones Poultry will soon operate in the building and bring about 50 new jobs to Hannibal. An on-site recruiting event at 5151 Industrial Loop is scheduled from 9 a.m. to noon April 1.

The business is expected to be operational in Hannibal by the end of April. Plans are to keep the company’s Barry location open for now.

Jones Poultry offers a complete line of fresh poultry products to their customers, including restaurants, grocery stores, nursing homes and broad line food service distributors throughout the country and is a leader in developing innovative solutions in response to its customers’ needs. As a secondary poultry processor, Jones grades, sizes, sorts, cuts, debones, packages, and marinates fresh poultry as well as individually quick frozen (IQF) poultry products. 

Jones Poultry proudly claims, “We do everything except the killing and the cooking!”

Stacey O’Brien, representative for Jones Poultry, encourages everyone to learn more about them. Although all 50 jobs won’t be filled at the recruitment event, O’Brien said she hopes a number of positions are filled.

“We are excited to be in Hannibal, and we are looking for more people to join our team,” she said.

The recruiting event will allow supervisors and managers to meet directly with the candidates.

“They can get a feel for what we are looking for, and they get a feel for what we bring to the table,” O’Brien said. “It will be a way for us to collect leads and get our name out there.”

With its expanded facility, Jones Poultry will increase production and hire employees across all positions, including processing, sanitation, maintenance, customer service, sales and management. O’Brien said interested people should bring a resume if they have one. On-site applications also can be filled out.

A news release from the Missouri Department of Economic Development said the company is investing about $6 million into the move.

“We’re thrilled Jones Poultry is relocating to our state to benefit from its many business advantages,” Missouri Gov. Mike Parson said in a press release. “This expansion in Hannibal is another success story that demonstrates the value of our commitment to strengthening Missouri’s workforce and infrastructure. We welcome Jones Poultry to Missouri and look forward to its continued success as it grows and creates jobs here in the Show-Me State.”

Jones Poultry was founded in Pearl, Ill. in 1940 as a farm-based chicken processor. The company modernized its operations in 1996 by moving to a state-of-the-art, USDA-inspected poultry processing plant.

“We are proud of our company’s modest beginnings and continue to honor the name of the Jones family,” said Duane Venvertloh, president and CEO of Jones Poultry. “Our team works hard to provide quality products and service that our customers deserve. When you choose Jones Poultry, you’ve picked the very best. We sincerely thank all those involved in assisting with this latest step in the growth of Jones Poultry.”

“It’s always exciting to see a company like Jones Poultry creating jobs and investing in our communities,” said Maggie Kost, acting director of the Department of Economic Development. “Thanks to support from our partners and the company, this project will grow our state’s agriculture industry and create opportunities for Missourians.”

PUBLISHER’S NOTE: The Missouri Department of Economic Development provided some information for this report.